Command line: filenames starting with -

[bforbes]

How can I specify filenames starting with a dash "-" on the command line? Most apps like cp and touch interpret anything starting with a dash as an option.

[smolloy]

Have you tried putting quotes around the filename?

[Javasnob]

Most commands allow you to explicitly end the options with --. So to copy --foo to bar:

cp -- --foo bar

[bforbes]

Using quotes doesn't work, because Bash and most other shells I guess remove the quotes when the arg is passed. I even tried:

touch "\"-a\""

But then the filename actually has quotes around it.

Using the double dash did the trick:

touch -- -a

I guess we just have to hope and pray that enough programs use the double-dash terminator. Thanks for the help.

[drl]

Hi.

And one very old method ... cheers, drl

#!/bin/sh

# @(#) s1       Demonstrate one method to delete leading-dash filenames.

echo
echo " Creating file with leading dash."
echo hi > -t1

echo " Files currently extant:"
ls

echo
echo " Attempt to remove -t1:"
rm -t1

echo
echo " Remove by prefixing with ./"
rm ./-t1

echo " Files now here:"
ls

Resulting in:

% ./s1

 Creating file with leading dash.
 Files currently extant:
-t1  s1

 Attempt to remove -t1:
rm: invalid option -- t
Try `rm --help' for more information.

 Remove by prefixing with ./
 Files now here:
s1

[bforbes]

Ah, that method is good! I can just prefix with ./, easy. Thanks.